Thumb Sucking
Thumb Sucking
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Sucking is an infant's chief pleasure, and it may not be satisfied by breast or bottle feeding.  It is such a strong need that some newborns are born with sucking pads on their fingers from in utero sucking activity.  All babies suck on their fingers at some time during the first year of life.  An infant's mouth is an important organ, not just for eating, but for exploration and pleasure.  Even before a baby can reach for objects, he discovers his hands, and it's natural to put the newly discovered objects into the mouth.  The first time, the hands may make it to the mouth by accident, but the baby quickly learns that the fingers in the mouth provide pleasure.  Soon he's sucking his fingers regularly.

There are benefits from infants sucking their fingers or thumbs.  Premature babies show increased weight gain and decreased crying.  It is a way infants can help calm themselves.

Toddlers crave the thumb most when their inner struggle between independence and dependense is at its worst, or, as with all sources of comfort, when she's tired, cranky, not feeling well, or bored.

There is no evidence that thumb sucking in itself is "dangerous" or a sign of emotional illness.  Occasional thumb sucking does not cause distortion of the mouth or crooked teeth as long as the habit stops by the time the permanent teeth begin to erupt.  As the child nears the time for permanent teeth to come in, he is mature enough to take an active part in breaking the habit.

Half of all children do some thumb or finger sucking past infancy.  The sucking peaks on average between 18-21 months.  Nearly 80% give it up by age five, and 95% by age six, usually on their own.

As with most other comfort habits, thumb sucking usually begins to subside on its own by age three.

Constant thumb sucking, unlike occasional thumb sucking, can do some permanent damage to the mouth and teeth.  It can also interfere with your toddler's social interaction, with learning other ways of coping with stress, and with his speech development by causing lisping.  You and your toddler will have to work together to see that this habit doesn't cause these problems.
Breaking the habit
Enlist a professional.  Parents can nag day in and day out and fail to move a toddler to break the habit, but a doctor or a pediatric dentis may only need to say, "It's time to stop sucking your thumb because it's going to make your teeth and mouth crooked," in order to inspire him to quit.

Enlist your toddler.  Children can't be forced to give up a habit.  They have to want to do it.  Motivation can be inspired by the words of a professional, a parent, or another adult, by the teasing of friends, by a sense of embarrassment over the habit, or even by a desire to be more grown-up, but there must be motivation.  Ask your child about quitting.  Discuss with him when would be a good time and whether a cold-turkey or a go-slow approach is more appealing.

Emphasize the grown-up.  Don't call your toddler's sucking habits "babyish," but do take every opportunity to call attention to "big boy (or girl)" behavior such as using the toilet, buttoning a shirt, or climbing the jungle gym without help.  The more appreciation garnered for being grown-up, the more incentive there will be to be grown-up, and to kick the habits left over from babyhood.

Supply substitutes.  Keeping your toddler's mouth occupied with conversation, song, a musical instrument that's played with the mouth, or drinks from a straw, for instance, may satisfy some of that need for oral gratification and will help distract him from cravings for the thumb.  At the times of day when your toddler tends to like to suck most, provide nourishing snacks that require a lot of chewing, but be careful that you don't overfeed or replace one oral habit with another.

Offer a reward.  A three-year-old may be willing to try to give up a sucking habit in exchange for a special treat.  But even with the promise of a reward, he needs plenty of help in quitting.

When all the above fail.  If your toddler is unable to stop finger -sucking, even with the help of the above measures, don't demand and don't despair.  If necessary, more drastic measures may be recommended  when your toddler is older, anywhere between three and five, depending on the condition of his mouth and your dentist's point of view.  Possibilities then will include applying a foul-tasting preparation to the sucking finger to make the habit unpleasant, and temproarily installing a metal reminder bar across the palate to make sucking uncomfortable and remind the child not to do it.  You can also recommend that when the urge to suck comes on, your toddler make a fist with the thumb inside.  If your child uses a thumb obsessively, and seems withdrawn or depressed, the sucking may represent more than a bad habit.  Consult with your child's doctor in such a situation and try to uncover and resolve any underlying problems.